This morning in my daily Cocoon to Butterfly process, I drew and wrote:

“Radiance shines forth from within as I stand on Beauty. The flowers everywhere in my garden are listening to my gratitude for the fragrance of beauty they exude. Indeed it’s a gift to be alive today. Thank you Life for shining your beauty everywhere.”

Everyday this creative spiritual practice of a simple scribble drawing with my Crayola felt pens and writing brings forth an unexpected gift. It has inspired my next book, which is the companion to the Cocoon to Butterfly book.

​As an artist of your life, what will you paint on your blank canvas? In order to authentically paint your life canvas, you need to listen to yourself. How will you listen deeply to yourself? JOURNAL!

"Keep a notebook. Travel with it. Slap into it every stray thought that flutters up into your brain." -Jack London​"Journaling is like whispering to one's self and listening at the same time." -Mina Murray

"What a comfort is this journal. I tell myself to myselfand throw the burden on my book and feel relief." -Anne Lister

​Butterfly JournalYour Butterfly Journal combines writing and visual art expression that you make on a daily basis. The purpose of your journal is to express feelings and thoughts; strengthen self-esteem and creative power; deal with negative patterns and creative blocks; and inspire visions of who you are becoming.

Working in your journal can help you better understand yourself and can become a powerful daily practice to connect with your inner self. You will need some art tools for writing, drawing and working with magazine images. A pen and a few color marker or colored pencils can be sufficient, and possibly a glue stick and scissors if you chose to add collage elements to your journal.

The actual journal should be a fresh new one that you purchase for the purpose of your own metamorphosis as you go through this book. A blank journal is better than a lined one, however, if you choose a lined one, you can glue blank paper over the lined areas for your drawings.

Would love to hear your comments on journaling-have you found it transformative in your life?

]]>Wed, 25 Oct 2017 07:00:00 GMThttp://www.lisalongworth.com/blog/connect-with-your-audience-by-using-metaphors How do public speakers best connect to their audiences? This strong TED talk by Chris Anderson clearly communicates the importance of ideas and how they can be more effectively communicated.

I found this video inspiring, as he spoke about how ideas manifest themselves in stories, symbols and metaphors-rather than just words. Check out the simple visual structures used in this video to symbolize ideas.

Tell me what you think of this TED talk. Does it inspire you to use his 4 suggestions for better connection with your audience when you give talks?

"What the caterpillar calls the end of the world, the master calls a butterfly" ~ Richard Bach

​Are you in the middle of a crisis or at the beginning of a new life chapter?

I prefer calling Midlife Crisis, Creative Midlife Change. Reinventing our lives can be very creative. When what once brought us joy and passion ends, we may ask, "Is this all there is?" . Or is this an invitation to authentically reinvent our lives using our creativity?

3 Creative Midlife Change Tips:

Shed and Renewal: It begins with stopping and listening. Create some time and space for a mini retreat.

Recognize and Release: Use meditation and relaxation to help you center yourself. Become aware of patterns and conditioning and let them go.

Deeply Listen: Quiet the mind chatter through meditation and nature connection. Allow a deeper knowing to come through from your true Self.

Nourishment for our souls can come from an alive word, an image or a fresh place. I found such nourishment last week while on holiday in San Miguel de Allende, an artist colony in central Mexico.

An Alive Word as GuideOn New Years Eve, while walking in the center of town, I spontaneously asked my husband, Michael, "What do you see for us in 2016?" Without hesitating, he replied, with a simple and clear vision. "We work together while traveling" His words were numinous for me- they glowed and sparkled. My intuition could see and feel the vision. Traveling internationally, we could speak, do workshops, Skype sessions, and I could share my traveling paintings. Immediately the words, "Drs. Longworth & Samko" a title for this inner image, arose within me. I saw our webpage! Those alive words, "Drs. L & S", now anchor a part of the butterfly of our own becoming as a couple for 2013. Now those vibrant words can guide us in the transition we will go through this year to manifest it. Naming has power! See it, name it, create it.

Happy Holidays with Joy, Love & Peace!Hope you are healthy and happy as you transition into 2017​My counseling clients continue to amaze me as they move through transitions into new chapters of their lives. I watch their personal symbols become tools to help them authentically navigate life changes. ​One of my favorite quotes is:"The soul never thinks without a picture." ~ Aristotle

]]>Fri, 01 Apr 2016 07:00:00 GMThttp://www.lisalongworth.com/blog/be-a-star-of-courageCourage is about showing up with fire in your heart, instead of fear. Stars are luminous points in the sky. Bringing the two together, “Stars of Courage” would be luminous people with their hearts on fire.Today, being a star of courage for me, means letting go of all the work I put into an event, that just got canceled. The great news is, even through it got cancelled, I am still shining as bright as ever. We do our best, and then let go.Keep shining bright, your glorious light!

Greetings! What are you passionate about? Do you give yourself permission to fully follow that passion at least once a week? I schedule time in my 50-hour work week in-between client sessions to create in my art studio. My budding passion is making inspiring short art videos. For over 20 years, I've been inspiring my clients to take a workshop or go on a retreat. A few weeks ago I followed my own advice! I attended a 3-day Digital Storytelling workshop in Los Angeles to feed my passion. Here's what I created in the workshop: ​Read the full newsletter.